Day One: Where to go from here

Well, here we are at Day One of a brand new year. In my sewing room are several work-in-process quilts at various stages of completion, in addition to supplies for a couple of projects not yet begun. One project I'd like to bring to a close this year is my Random Sampler Quilt. I finished the quilt top several months ago, but never shared a picture of it.

Random Sampler quilt top

This top was such an enjoyable journey. It began as a quilt-along and ended up including several quilt blocks I've designed. To round it out I thoroughly enjoyed searching for blocks I loved to fill in all the various spaces.

While sewing the blocks and filler strips needed for this top, I had time to mull over how to quilt it: machine quilting -vs- hand quilting. After working with perle cotton on my last two projects I decided I wanted the Random Sampler to be hand quilted using big stitches and No. 8 perle cotton. It's just hard to beat the beautiful texture created by hand quilting, and the slow pace is so relaxing. My local quilt shop has a great inventory of Presencia Finca and I had no problem matching colors with my quilt top.

No. 8 perle cotton

As soon as I purchase batting suitable for hand quilting, a good thimble, and cozy flannel for the backing I'm all set to begin, and I can't wait!

For my family 2017 is a year that will see us realize the dream of moving into our log home in the not too distant future. This will be a great quilt for snuggling on the couch with my husband while we look out over the mountains and enjoy our new home.

Blessings!
~Debbie

The Random Sampler Continues

The Random Sampler, my Random Sampler, I know, I know, I've written about this quilt more than once. You can read more about it here, here, and here.  Why does it keep coming up? Well for one, it's still not finished (with good reason), and two, I do believe I love it the very best of anything I've ever made. Shhh...am I aloud to say that?

Three complete sections of my Random Sampler

The blocks in this picture complete three sections of the quilt top. There are only two sections remaining, and I already have many of the blocks for those sections made, but they are not sewn together yet.

One of the reasons I like this quilt top so very much is that there is no intent to please anyone except myself - it does not have to be beautiful in anyone else's eyes - not the colors, not the fabrics, not the block choices. I want a quilt that I'm not afraid to actually use, and one that will be at home in our new log home. Watching this quilt top materialize is great fun :o)

I have spent many happy hours pouring over block patterns to include and fabrics to use. Once a block has been completed I've noted that some of them are not my favorite based on the choices I made. But, I've also decided that every block does not have to be wonderful. In fact, it's probably best that some of the blocks recede so that others can stand out. That way they are not all fighting for attention.

Some of my favorite parts are the "filler blocks. The blocks needed to make all the puzzle pieces fit together.

Little house blocks reclaimed from another project

This little row of Home Sweet Home blocks is one example. I needed to bring the 12" Tree of Life block up to 16" to match the Fireworks block peaking at us on the left side of the picture.

Applique vine

Another favorite is this sparse applique berry vine helping to bring the maple leaf block up to a standard size. The maple leaves were reclaimed from a stalled attempt at a Third Weekend in October quilt. (Note: I'd still like to make that quilt - it's a true beauty!)

Tossed Triangles attached to a Fireworks block

Finally, I made a run of triangles and used my favorite layout, which I call Tossed Triangles because I don't know if there is an actual name, to border this wonderful Fireworks block.

These little "fillers" truly are a few of my favorite things!

If you are interested in working on your own Random Sampler you can go back and start the same place I did. Anita of Bloomin' Workshop has a whole series of tutorials for many of these blocks. We all started our quilts in the fall of 2012. Okay, so I've been working on mine for three years now, don't let that scare you! I am just soaking in the joy of creating one block at a time.

Will you see this quilt top again on my blog...I'd say there is a pretty good chance the answer is yes!

Random Sampler & Other Progress

Hooray! I've made progress on my Random Sampler! Going with the idea to build one section at a time I took inventory of the blocks I've already made and began grouping them into a section. Then, I worked to fill in the holes. Here's what it looks like so far:

Random Sampler section one

The top row features a squash blossom, an applique branch, maple leaf cluster, and several flying geese blocks. The second row includes a basket, a wheel, Rocky Mountain Puzzle*, and finally Duck Tracks*. (Patterns for these last two blocks can be found on Quilters Cache.) This section measures 20" x 32". Due to the odd size of the maple leaf cluster I added a strip of fabric to the left side of the squash blossom block to bring the string of blocks up to the correct length. 

I'm so happy to have made a bit of progress on this quilt! Now I have to discipline myself and return to two quilts in the process of be quilted. One is the Social Climber quilt from the Faith Circle, and the other is my Mixed Flock quilt for the local show. I've made good progress on the Social Climber quilt and it shouldn't take too much longer to have it finished. 

Mixed Flock has me wondering how best to quilt it. To try out some possibilities I took a picture of the quilt top and lightened it up on the computer. Then when I print it out I used a pencil to draw out quilting ideas. Here's what I've come up with so far:

Quilting ideas

I need to stick with straight line quilting because I don't think my free-motion is where I want people giving it close inspection. I still have not figured out how to quilt the colored stars. I'm hoping that as I begin working on it additional inspiration will come. 

Finally, perhaps the most exciting progress!! On Saturday we met with a log home builder and walked over our land to select a house site! We gave him the plans we'd put together and now have to wait for a quote to come back. We'll see what comes of this once we have some solid numbers. That patch of woods up there in my blog header just may have a house on it!  For now, I need to hold myself in check and not get too excited...like that's possible :o)

Happy quilting! 

Planning Randomness??

In my previous post I noted how Anita, from Bloomin' Workshop, is once again leading a group of quilters on a journey...this time to finish the Random Sampler quilts we started some time ago. Earlier this week she posted The Finishing Plan. Until reading her post I had no idea how to take a mish-mash of blocks and turn them into a layout that would end up as a quilt top. 

To begin the process I decided to take inventory of my blocks - how many different block sizes have I made, and how many of each size. At this point I have blocks ranging in size from 2.5" square to 15" square. I know! Where did this weird quilt block come from?

Quilt blocks grouped by size

This maple leaf block is the odd-sized one. I'll probably add borders to bring it up to a more workable size. I can't even remember how many years ago I made this block - early in my quilting career. It's a bit wonky, but I love it :o) When we first started this quilt along I pulled this block as my cornerstone to build the sampler around. 

Maple leaves - inspiration for colors came from this block

I've pulled my instructions for Moda's Modern Building Blocks quilt and I'm looking at the breakdown of this layout to inspire me how to divide my quilt top into sections. 

Planning a random layout :o)

My quilt will be in the neighborhood of 60" x 72" so I'll play around with the mental challenge of how to best divide that into sections. Then, as Anita suggested I'll work on filling one section at a time. This will be fun!

Happy Friday!!

The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown Down

About a month ago I posted this picture on Instagram of blocks hanging on my design wall. These blocks belong to a quilt project named The Random Sampler. It was a quilt-along begun by my friend Anita from Bloomin' Workshop. Several of us started these blocks back in 2012 and to my knowledge only Lotje ended up with a finished quilt.

Random Sampler quilt blocks

Anita suggested we all pull our blocks back out in March and cheer each other on to a finish - effectively throwing out the challenge to the rest of us slackers :o) Now I have to admit, I love working on blocks for this quilt because I can toss in anything and everything I feel like making. And, this is a quilt I am making for myself so there is no right or wrong. Funny - We don't have any quilts I've made, except for a few small wall hangings, so this will be the first large-ish quilt I'd finish for our home. There are two other unfinished quilts that are also supposed to be for us. Seems the only quilts I manage to finish are those intended for others.

As much as I'd love to dive in and work on my Random Sampler I've got two projects I should finish first. I've been so good at working my way through the To Do list I wrote up some time last summer and I'm down to just the two quilts. Here they are:

Social Climber is another Faith Circle quilt destined to be sent to Restore Innocence. This quilt is pin basted and ready for quilting. As of yet I have not decided how to quilt it...any suggestions are most welcome! Feel free to leave them in the comments. 

Social Climber ~ A Faith Circle Quilt

Then, I'm on a tight schedule to finish up my Mixed Flock quilt for a local show coming up in mid-April. I don't think I've introduced the Mixed Flock top on the blog...this is my original design using the Dashing Geese block I created for QuiltMakers 100 Blocks magazine, Volume 9. However, Mixed Flock puts a completely different spin on the block by mixing up the color placement. 

Mixed Flock - progress shot

I'm hoping you can see four large, bright "interpretive" stars, and one gray star, too. In a way I think Mixed Flock has a bit of a Southwestern look to it. I'm in the process of piecing the outer borders to finish the quilt top. Here's a sketch to show where I'm heading with the final design:

Mixed Flock - the plan

So, the question is, "Will I be picking up the Random Sampler gauntlet?" Many times what I should do, and what I end up doing, are two different things...we'll see how the month of March plays out :o) 

What would you do?